Xa Xiu is a Chinese dish of grilled or barbecued pork with a typical red coloring, hence ‘roasted red pork’. The Chinese name for the dish varies from char siu, char siew to cha siu. It depends on in which Chinese and Surinamese restaurant or eatery you see the menu. Xa xiu is also ready made, cooled or frozen, available at Asian supermarkets. You can easily reheat them in the oven and that’s really easy if you don’t have the time for extensive cooking.

The Xa xiu marinade creates a sticky sweet taste. The meat is multi-applicable and is delicious with white rice, noodle soups, noodles, fried rice and between baguettes. You can choose to use the instant Xa xiu marinade in a package or to make it yourself. Spareribs are also delicious in Xa xiu marinade. Usually pork is used, but chicken thighs are also very tasty in this red marinade.

Stir the mixture in water and add extra soy sauce, sugar, honey, pepper and garlic to taste. Mix the meat with the marinade and leave in the refrigerator for about 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 200 ° C. Place the meat on a grill, griddle or in a pan and roast about 15 minutes in the oven with half the marinade, reserving remaining marinade. Keep an eye on the meat. The timing also depends on the thickness of the meat.

Turn the meat and pour the rest of the marinade over the meat. Fry another 10 minutes and check if the meat is done (the duration depends on the amount of meat).

Once the meat is cooked let it rest to cool a little bit. Cut the meat into strips to apply.

Ingredients Xa xiu with homemade marinadeThis marinade is especially tasty when using spareribs. For other pork meat oyster sauce, hoisin sauce and any optional ingredients can be omitted. It also depends on how the Xa Xiu meat is further applied.

500 g pork (whole piece): pork steaks, pork belly or ribs

2 tbsp ketchup or a few drops of red food coloring (optional)

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp Chinese rice wine

2 tbsp oyster sauce

2 tbsp hoisin sauce

3 tbsp honey

1 tbsp brown sugar

½ tsp salt

1 tsp Chinese five spice powder

dash of sesame oil

ground black pepper (optional)

minced garlic (optional)

Preparation

Mix all the marinade ingredients in a large bowl or dish. Mix the meat with the marinade and leave in the refrigerator for about 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Place the meat on a grill, griddle or in a pan and roast about 15 minutes in the oven with half the marinade, reserving remaining marinade. Keep an eye on the meat. The timing also depends on the thickness of the meat.

Turn the meat and pour the rest of the marinade over the meat. Fry another 10 minutes and check if the meat is done (the duration depends on the amount of meat).

Once the meat is cooked let it rest to cool a little bit. Cut the meat into strips to apply.